Enda Kenny: "I didn't realise it was a protest; I thought the paralympic team was home"

Enda Kenny has the common touch.

Wallace and Daly - we're all wondering

Well we are, aren't we?

By the look in your eye I can tell you're gonna cry.
Is it over me?
If it is, save your tears
for I'm not worth it, you see.
For I'm the type of boy who is always on the take,
whatever promises I break,
I'm telling you promises I break.

You had socialism, did you escape from the prison
over me?
If it's so I'd like for you to know
that I'm not worth it, you see.
For I'm the type of boy who is always on the take, mm,
whatever promises I make,
mm, promises I break.

Oh, you keep telling me, you keep telling me I'm your man.
What do I have to do to make you understand?
For I'm the type of guy who gives girl the eye,
everybody knows.
But I love them and I leave them,
break their hearts and deceive them everywhere I go.

Don't you know that I'm the type of man who never pays his tax,
ignores the Revenue Commissioners' fax.
wherever I lay my hat, oh oh, that's not really my home, mm yeh,
that's not really my home
and I like it that way.

Pat Rabbitte attempts to force Catholic Church out of public debate

Pat Rabbitte, T.D., Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources, made an extraordinary intervention in the Irish debate on abortion, by suggesting that the Catholic Church should not engage in lobbying politicians about abortion.  So while organisations like the Irish Family Planning Association, the National Women's Council, Amnesty International, Trades Unions, would be free to lobby their elected representatives, Catholics alone should be silenced.

I emailed the following to Deputy Rabbitte:


Dear Minister Rabbitte,

I was very surprised by the remarks you made in respect of abortion and the suggestion that Catholics should be uniquely prevented from lobbying their elected representatives.

Or perhaps I misunderstood you.  Are you suggesting that in future no one should lobby elected representatives at all?  The Irish Farmers Association, the GAA, IBEC, your friends in the trades union movement, the multitude of state funded bodies representing women, the disabled etc.  Are you suggesting they too should give up lobbying - or is it just Catholics?

I then sent versions of this email to Enda Kenny, Eamon Gilmore, Michael Martin, Gerry Adams, Lucinda Creighton and James Bannon - feel free to use it and pass on to other politicians:

Dear Deputy,

I was very surprised by the recent comments by Deputy Pat Rabbitte that Catholics should, uniquely, be excluded from lobbying their elected public representatives in respect of abortion.

Do you share this view?

Is it Fine Gael policy that Catholics alone should refrain from lobbying their elected representatives - or does it apply to other organisations such as the Irish Farmers Association or the Trades Union movement?

Is it government policy?

We need to follow the old divide and conquer approach by isolating those politicians who are most pro-abortion and anti-Catholic.

Kenny and abortion

Abortion will ultimately be the defining moment for Herr Kenny. We'll find out three things:
Does Kenny have any remaining residual faith or has he lost it all?
Can he lead his own party and take on the Minister for Health, James Reilly, who is clearly pro-abortion?
Has he spine, conviction and nerve to take on the Labour Party or will he put remaining in power above all else?
And an extra one- does he have the humility to talk to Michael Martin about abortion?
I'm afraid we know the answers to all those questions.

Pride and arrogance at the Eucharistic Congress

Kenny and Gilmore unveil plans for the future Embassy of Ireland to the Holy See

Careful now

Q. What do you get if you cross Enda Kenny with Amanda Knox?

A. I don't know, but whatever the hell it is, don't turn your back on it?

Notre Dame betrays itself once more

What is it with this Catholic university that it cannot resist giving invitations to anti-catholic politicians?  Of course invite Obama was the big one, the great betrayal, the most pro-abortion president in US history.  And now they've invited Herr Kenny, Ireland's own.  Enemy of the Pope, enemy of the Church, supporter of gay marriage and, in due course, no doubt abortion as well.

It's wonderful how someone who believes passionately in the separation of Church and State manages to infiltrate so many Church institutions, including Tuam Cathedral where he had the gall to present John Paul II awards to young people.  You can read his speech here - the Church is the People of God, a sort of ecclesiastical republic.

In another nice twist of interconnectedness we learn that Herr Kenny will present Irish citizenship to Fr. Theodore Hesburgh, former president of Notre Dame.  And what do we know of this guy?

In the early ‘60s John D. Rockefeller III approached Fr. Theodore Hesburgh who was then president of Notre Dame and asked about the possibility of Notre Dame hosting a Population Council meeting at the university. In 1965 Fr. Hesburgh invited Rockefeller-funded Planned Parenthood to hold a number of so called “secret conferences” at Notre Dame through the intervention of Fr. John O’Brien head of the theology department.  Fr. Hesburgh sold out Catholic higher education and, specifically, Our Lady’s university for a share of Rockefeller’s millions and the accompanying worldly respect. And there was plenty of it. For starters, amazingly, Fr. Theodore Hesburgh actually served on the board of the Rockefeller Foundation as well as held other important positions over the course of 20 years within the organization, the same organization that is a leading proponent of the Culture of Death.

It was this relationship between Hesburgh and the population control Rockefeller Foundation that  perhaps more than any other single alliance in recent Church history which began the meltdown of the past nearly 50 years. And with these secret conferences on population control going on during the summers of the early 1960’s at Notre Dame it soon became clear that a more definitive break with the Catholic Church and her teaching would have to be initiated. In 1967 the year before the Papal encyclical Humanae Vitae which restated Catholic teaching condemning contraception was released  Notre Dame administrators under the direction of Fr. Theodore Hesburgh released what was known as the Land O’Lakes Statement in which they distanced themselves from Catholic teaching. The statement was named after the retreat center of the Holy Cross Fathers the order that founded Notre Dame.

The retreat center is a luxurious hideaway in Land O’ Lakes Wisconsin. While at this quiet summer conference in July of 1967 Fr. Hesburgh and others prepared for the overthrow of the Catholic Faith at Notre Dame. But Hesburgh’s initiative would not stop at the confines of his South Bend, Indiana campus. It spread like a blazing inferno to virtually every other Catholic college looking to unshackle itself from Rome.

This is the man to be honoured with Irish citizenship - Kenny's type of Catholic.

Response from Government Buildings

Well I have been unfair to the Department of An Taoiseach.  You will recall my emailing them about Herr Kenny's visiting Rome without calling on the Holy Father.  I received a response from the Private Secretary:

Dear Mr Doyle,

I refer to your mail regarding the Taoiseachs recent meeting in Rome with
the Italian Prime Minister on Friday 24 February.

The Taoiseach was on a brief working visit to Rome to meet with PM Monti
specifically on EU business including preparations for the European Council
meeting of last week.  There was no other dimension to the visit.

The Taoiseach also met with Chancellor Merkel, Prime Minister Necas of the
Czech Republic and Prime Minister Dombrovkis of Latvia in Berlin the
previous evening also in relation to EU business.

Yours sincerely,

Nick Reddy
Private Secretary to the Taoiseach

Which is all very well, but doesn't address why he didn't seek to arrange an audience with the Pope.  Perhaps he was too tired after meeting all those other important people like the Prime Minister of Latvia.

First faller in the Treaty Hurdles

So Éamon Ó Cuiv is the first casualty in the referendum campaign for the Fiscal Union Compact Treaty (FUCT).

I was watching Vincent Browne last night and thinking “why on earth are Fianna Fail sticking their neck out on this treaty?” There is nothing in this for them politically. If it gets through Kenny gets the benefit. If it falls FF are losers again. And yet there was the FF spokesman defending it while FG failed to provide a spokesman. And now they’ve split the party.

Eamon O Cuiv represented the last hope for many old time Fianna Failers – socially conservative, nervous about Brussels encroachments. Michael Martin was foolish to come out so strongly in support of this treaty.  He should have waited until the party had time to take a view;  he should have looked at the other related issues around write-offs.  And he should have thought about the politics of things instead of runnning headlong into supporting the Government.

Herr Kenny in Rome

Just back from visiting my brother in Australia.  I have to say it was bloody brilliant.  I read no newspapers and did my best to forget about Ireland and our awful government.

So I've been catching up with the latest embarrassments.  I see Herr Kenny has been on his first visit to Rome.  And for the first time - I'm pretty sure ever - a Taoiseach on his first visit to Rome failed to seek an audience with the Holy Father.

Reminiscent of another world leader visiting Rome who failed to get an audience with the Pope.

I sent the following email to the Department of An Taoiseach:

Can I ask, concerning the Taoiseach's visit to Rome:

Why the Taoiseach isn't meeting the Pope?

Was any attempt made to arrange such an audience?

Was any contact made with officials at the Vatican to request an audience?

Was the matter considered at all by the Taoiseach and his officials?

Is this one more indicator of the decline in relations between Ireland and the Holy See?

I think it's unheard of for a Taoiseach on his first visit to Rome not to have an audience with the Pope.

Brendan Doyle,
Clonakilty.

And guess what?  No answer, no acknowledgment.  Probably too busy writing Thank You letters to the Chinese.

Why was Kenny allowed to eulogise his mother?

"A brief homily based on the readings should always be given at the funeral liturgy, but never any kind of eulogy." (Order of Christian Funerals)

So why was the most blatantly anti-Catholic Taoiseach in the history of our country given a pulpit to preach in?  Because that's what Catholic funerals in Ireland have become.  There were poems read out by grandchildren (to applause), there was commentary from a son as flags of Mayo and Donegal were carried up at the Offertory, and there was Enda with his moving words about the ocean and lighthouses and applause for mothers everywhere.  Modern Ireland.  The GAA at prayer.

Time for Shatter to apologise

I sent this email to Alan Shatter, Minister for Justice and Equality, this afternoon.  I'll let you know if he responds (still waiting to hear from Kenny):

Minister,

following the RTE Prime Time programme which defamed an entirely innocent priest, Fr Kevin Reynolds, you said that the reports left you with “a sense of revulsion at the unspeakable catalogue of abuse against children....While the behaviour took place abroad, we have a solemn duty to do all that is within our power to ensure that perpetrators of this predatory abuse of children are brought to justice wherever it takes place” http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/breaking/2011/0524/breaking28.html

In short, Minister, you rushed to judgment.  It's bad enough to be defamed by the national broadcaster, but to have the Minister for Justice follow up with such comments must have been very difficult for Fr Reynolds.

While RTE has issued a full apology (and presumably will follow up with appropriate compensation) I did not notice you issuing an apology for your comments;  perhaps I missed it.

If you haven't issued a public statement on the matter I think you should.  And I think that in future you should consider carefully whether it is appropriate for the Minister for Justice to be issuing statements on foot of documentaries rather than convictions in a court of law.

The people will shortly be asked in a referendum to give the Oireachtas and its committees the right to hold investigations and to make judgments as to the balance and fairness of the rights of individuals.  Based on the recent record of politicians, including yourself in the Fr Reynolds case and the Taoiseach in his outrageous remarks about the Pope, I think the people will be very reluctant to entrust you with such power.

Yours sincerely,

Brendan Doyle

Separated at birth

Michael D. Higgins


 

Paul Daniels



"Shatter defends State record on rights"

The Irish Times surpassed itself for irony in yesterday's headline (see title above).  For if Shatter did anything, it wasn't defend the State.  What he did was turn up, allow a bunch of foreigners tell us that we must introduce abortion, change our constitution to reduce the status of stay-at-home mothers and give even more support to the heavily supported Travellers.

Just look at some of the States which challenged our human rights record:

Afghanistan, Iran, Pakistan, Egypt, Ghana, Iraq, Turkey, Cambodia, Algeria, Sri Lanka. 

We really have lots to learn from those countries, don't we.

And what did our Minister for Justice say when challenged on abortion.  Did he follow David Quinn's advice?  Did he point out that there is no human right to abortion in any international human rights instrument?  Did he point out that the European Court of Human Rights itself confirmed this?  Did he heck!

In response to questions on abortion, Mr Shatter said the Government was committed to “expeditious” implementation of the European Court of Human Rights judgment in the A, B and C case. An expert group would be appointed next month, and he pledged to deal with the abortion issue in an “adequate and comprehensive” way.

Of course this is the most important issue, but a more general question - what possible benefit is there for Ireland in being a member of the United Nations?  We get nothing from it.  We have no influence whatsoever.  The liberal left simply use it as as stick to beat us, and an excuse to bring in the policies that ordinary people do not support.

MOOB! The sound of Norris's campaign imploding

It was just too good tonight on Vincent Brown.  Leaving aside his ridiculous theatrical attack on Martin Mc Guinness with his pile of books about the IRA, including the slander that Malachy O'Doherty was in the IRA, for which he subsequently apologised. 

Leaving that aside his simple question to Norris totally demolished him.  It was every cliché you can imagine - rabbits in headlights stuff.  And such a simple question - "David, you've said you can't release the letters for legal reasons.  And that you've received legal advice from Israel to that effect.  Who gave you that legal advice?"

Norris squirmed, he flailed around, he floundered, he grandstanded.  He had no answer.  It was as clear as Pinocchio's nose that Norris has invented the Israeli legal advice.

And now it's been revealed that for sixteen years as a Senator he was getting the Disability Allowance as well.  He's refusing to say what the disability was.  I hear he's a degenerat-
eive eye condition caused by years of blinkered vision and broadmindedness.

Norris and those letters

The letters Norris wrote on behalf of his child raping (ex-)lover continue to dog his campaign.  Today he was claiming that he cannot release them for "legal reasons".  He was suggesting that this was because the case was heard in camera.

The word on the street is that the letters call into question the character of the child victim and once again muddy the waters of consent.

Of course when Kenny was attacking the Pope and accusing him of "managing rape" there was no distinctions made about statutory rape, rape, assault, a pat on the head, a hug, a funny look coming out of the sacristy - none of which of course had any connection whatsoever with one Joseph Ratzinger.

Last in, hopefully first out.

So Norris is back in the race to become President of Ireland.  Good grief.  How much worse can it get?  It's bad enough having the liar Enda Kenny as Taoiseach but having Norris as President.  I think I could not literally bear it.  My grandfather had a British passport - I wonder is that any use to me.  Still Cork did the business and rejected him.

We're still waiting for the press to ask more abuse victims what they think.  Christina Buckley was given a momentary appearance and then never seen again.  We're still waiting to see the other letters that Norris has written.  Of course they'll be much the same as the first one, but can you imagine having a President who has written to Binyamin Netanyahu seeking clemency for his child raping lover?  I would literally prefer having a provo.  And as the President is Commander in Chief of the Defence Forces it might be useful to have a candidate with some experience in the military.  Also, the name: James Martin Pacelli McGuinness.  Who else gives us a chance to show our support for the Holy See by voting for a Pacelli?

Back to Norris.  There is more to come.  It's never come out publicly why he was sacked from Trinity and there are distinct rumours that he was forced to resign because of an inappropriate relationship with a student.

We'll have to wait and see how interested the press is in digging around and how determined some of the other candidates are.  Some signs of hope in the statements from Dublin City Council even as they nominated him.

Children First

Couple of interesting letters in the Irish Times today about mandatory reporting.  Doctors are suddenly discovering that they will have to report under age girls who approach them for contraception or with a pregnancy.  Of course they won't in practise and the Government will find some way to explain it all away - oh yes, Children First - that ought to do it.  It's a great line, isn't it.  If a 14 year old girl wants the Pill we must give it because we must put children first.  But if she then goes to confession and tells the priest, he must rush off to the guards and tell them.  And here's the funny bit - tell the HSE - who gave her the Pill in the first place! 

The other letter is more general, about how old hags will use the process to destroy innocent people.  They're below:

Sir, – Much ink has been spilt in recent weeks as to whether or not the seal of confession ought to be broken in a case where an ephebophile or paedophile confesses to abusing a child.

Little consideration has been given to the problem of a general practitioner like myself, where an underage girl presents for treatment in pregnancy.

If there is mandatory reporting, will I have to report this case to the Garda? Or if an underage girl seeks the morning-after pill or pregnancy counselling, will the doctor or pharmacist or counseller have to report a crime? Whether or not the girl has consented, it is a case of statutory rape, ie child sex abuse. In such a case, there is absolutely no doubt but that a crime has been committed. And it is by no means a rare occurrence. –
Yours, etc,

Dr JOHN KEHOE,
Chestnut Hill,
Naas,
Co Kildare.

Sir, – While clerical sexual abuse is particularly shocking, it is relatively a very small part of the problem. With regard to the substantive issue of compulsory reporting, apart from the obvious consideration that, rather than actually protecting children, it would effectively bury social workers under an avalanche of largely useless information, it seems to me the church authorities, caught on the back foot, in fact have conceded too much. We may well be sleepwalking into a totalitarian nightmare, where anyone with a grudge or a notion can ruin anyone they object to, and they will be considered guilty until proven innocent. And I suppose once again the church will eventually be accused of failing to stand up to totalitarianism! – Yours, etc,

JOE ASTON,
Horseshoe Cottage,
Sherkin Island,
Skibbereen,
Co Cork.

Good grief - he can.

Reading the Government's latest lazy lies about the Vatican.  Clearly a lot of work didn't go into that response.  It's pretty much "I don't care what you say, I still think you did it" school of drafting.  Read it below:

Statement by the Government of Ireland on the response of the Holy See regarding the report of the Commission of Investigation into the Catholic Diocese of Cloyne:

The Government of Ireland thanks the Holy See for its response of 3 September regarding the report of the Commission of Investigation into the Catholic Diocese of Cloyne (the Cloyne Report) and the representations made to it by the Tánaiste in this regard in his meeting with the Apostolic Nuncio on 14 July 2011.

The Government acknowledges and welcomes the statement in the response that the Holy See is sorry and ashamed (I knew the Holy See shouldn't have used that phrase - looks like a bad translation from something else) for the terrible sufferings which the victims of abuse and their families have endured. The victims of abuse and their families must remain foremost in our considerations. (except attacking the Church will remain foremost).

Having considered carefully the Cloyne Report and the response of the Holy See, the Government of Ireland remains of the view that the content of the confidential letter in 1997 from the then Apostolic Nuncio, Archbishop Storero, to the Irish Bishops, regardless of whether or not it was intended to do so, provided a pretext for some members of the clergy to evade full cooperation with the Irish civil authorities in regard to the abuse of minors. This is a matter of great concern to the Irish Government.  (Even though the Cloyne Report presents no evidence to support this opinion and Kenny's government in 1997 was still opposing mandatory reporting.)

The Government of Ireland notes the comments in the Holy See’s response on the political debate which ensued in Ireland after the publication of the Cloyne Report and in particular the statements made by the Taoiseach and other political leaders. The Government of Ireland must point out that the comments made by the Taoiseach and other political leaders accurately reflect the public anger of the overwhelming majority of Irish people (as generated by the Government and its friends in the media - what percentage of the Irish people read the report?) at the failure of the Catholic Church in Ireland and the Holy See to deal adequately with clerical child sexual abuse and those who committed such appalling acts.

It is the Government of Ireland’s hope that, in spite of outstanding differences, lessons have been learned from appalling past failures. In this regard, it welcomes the commitment in the concluding remarks of the Holy See’s response to a constructive dialogue and cooperation with the Government. In welcoming this commitment the Government expects the fullest cooperation from the Holy See (the arrogance is quite extraordinary - we've accused you of managing rape, used bogus quotations from the Holy Father to make him look bad and now we expect full cooperation!), the Catholic Church in Ireland and all other relevant bodies with a view to ensuing that Ireland is a society fully safe for children and minors and that all of those with responsibility for the welfare and care of children in this country are fully subject to Irish laws and requirements (By which of course they mean the attack on the seal of the confessional).